History • PAOK – the initials stand for the Pan-Salonika Athletic Club of Constantinople – were founded on 20 April 1926 by Greek refugees from Istanbul; they moved to their current Toumbas Stadium on 6 September 1959.

• Having lost the Greek Cup finals of 1939, 1951 and 1955, a PAOK side featuring the brilliant Giorgos Koudas played in five further showpieces from 1970-74 and won their first silverware under English coach Les Shannon by beating Panathinaikos FC 2-1 in the 1972 decider, Koudas getting both goals.

• PAOK reached the 1973/74 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup quarter-finals and a second Greek Cup under Shannon followed in 1974, Olympiacos FC overcome 4-3 on penalties following a 2-2 draw.

• Hungarian coach Gyula Lóránt then took command, leading the club to their first league title in 1976, but died of a heart attack while watching PAOK play in 1981; the club won a second crown under Austrian Walter Skocic, having gone unbeaten at home in the league throughout the 1984/85 season.

• While the club won Greek Cups in 2001 and 2003, financial problems dogged them until 2007, when UEFA EURO 2004-winning Greek captain Theo Zagorakis took over as president vowing to bring stability and footballing success.

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